The lab: Fendt group
Lab's research themes:
Metabolic rewiring is a hallmark of cancer cells. We investigate how metabolic rewiring enables cancer cells to metastasize to distant organs using cutting-edge single-cell omics technologies. Specifically, we have discovered that cancer cells rely on particular nutrients to successfully metastasize to distant organs. These nutrients enable cancer cells to dynamically change their cell state, a phenotypic plasticity that is required for successful metastasis formation. Importantly, targeting this metabolic rewiring in cancer cells inhibits metastasis formation in mouse models.
Merits of the lab:
Our lab has extensive experience with technologies such as single-cell and bulk RNAseq, spatial transcriptomics, spatial and bulk metabolomics, lipidomics, molecular biology and in vitro/in vivo experiments. We have ongoing collaborations with oncologists, surgeons and pathologists from the university hospitals of Leuven and Brussels. These fruitful collaborations allow us to bring our research closer to the patients' needs. These collaborations are driven by a common interest in a research project or in a more formalized setting through the joined supervision of MD-PhD students. Particular areas of collaboration are breast, liver, melanoma and glioblastoma pathologies.
Why do we want medical doctors?
We are a team of 18 researchers from 11 different countries. All team members have a different expertise area and education ranging from bioinformatics to cellular biology and fundamental sciences to medical oncology. My team is very international and has currently a positive balance of female researchers and technical staff.
The position
What’s the main purpose of our research?
We would like to open new frontiers in our research and study the metabolic evolution of metastases induced by treatment and/or nutrition. The final goal is to identify key steps in the metabolic evolution of metastases, which in turn can be targeted, in combination with the current first-line treatments, and allow the eradication of metastases.
How we will do it?
We apply cutting-edge technologies such as single-cell RNA sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, spatial and bulk metabolomics and lipidomics combined with genetic engineering and molecular biology techniques in 2D and 3D cultured cell lines, mouse models and human biopsy samples.
Why is this important?
Metastasis formation is the leading cause of death in cancer patients. While many primary cancers can be successfully treated with surgery, radiation and pharmaceuticals, metastases at diagnosis or arising after successful primary tumor treatment drastically limit the life expectancy of cancer patients. With our research, we aim to prevent and treat metastases with the ultimate long-term goal to contribute to the increased survival of cancer patients.
To this aim, we study the metabolic evolution of metastases induced by treatment and/or nutrition. Our lab focuses on the identification of key steps in the metabolic evolution of metastases. Discovery of potential treatments targeting those key processes, in combination with the current first-line treatments, may allow the treatment of metastases and thus, an improved survival of cancer patients.
Who is a good fit for the project?
Experience or keen interest in oncology and cancer treatment. Experience on the bench and in exploring databases. Interest in bioinformatics is desirable.
Medical background or training in the field of (breast) cancer will accelerate the integration of the MD into the project.
Other positions
IDIBAPS#4 – Mechanisms involved in strenuous exercise-induced atrial myocardial fibrosis
IC#4 – The role polyglutamylation in tauopathic neurodegeneration
IC#3 – Evaluation of the efficiency of immunotherapy by tracing ctDNA in metastatic NSCLC and triple-negative breast cancer patients
IC#2 – New targetable vulnerabilities for the treatment of chemoresistant breast and ovarian BRCA1/2-mutated tumors
IDIBAPS#3 – Mechanisms involved in vascular inflammation/remodeling in systemic vasculitis
IDIBAPS#2 – Mechanisms and therapies for Myeloma, amyloidosis, macroglobulinemia and other gammapathies
IDIBAPS#1 – Developing and investigating computing, machine learning and physiological modelling for understanding each individual heart towards personalised medicine
BRIC#6 – Tumour evolution, heterogeneity, and understanding of the mutational processes leading to aggressive disease
IC#1 – The role of RNASE1 in lung metastatic niche establishment by breast cancer cells
MDC#3 – Neuromuscular and Cardiovascular Cell Biology
MDC#2 – Molecular and cellular basis of behavior
MDC#1 – Host-microbiome factors in cardiovascular disease
NKI#1 – Epigenetic regulation in hormone-driven cancers and therapy resistance
VIB#8 – Mechanisms of inflammation and associated tissue damage in musculoskeletal diseases
VIB#7 – Endothelial immunosuppressive mystery genes for alternative immunotherapy: artificial intelligence-driven target discovery and validation
VIB#6 – Cellular metabolism and metabolic regulation in cancer metastasis
VIB#5 – Unraveling the molecular mechanisms of neuronal degeneration in motor neuron diseases
VIB#4 – Identification of universal biomarkers of metastatic melanoma in CTCs
VIB#3 – Basic mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease and neurodegeneration
VIB#2 – Integrative genomics to underpinning somatic evolution, tumour heterogeneity, and treatment resistance
VIB#1 – Medical biotechnology to improve hepatocellular carcinoma diagnostics
BRIC#5 – The impact of severe maternal respiratory tract infections on fetal brain development and offspring behavior
